Nutcracker

ABSTRACT

A nutcracker having an adjustable jaw to receive nuts of different sizes with the second jaw being cam operated to move towards the first jaw to crack a nut positioned between the jaws. As the jaws are swung through an operating arc the cam operated jaw is first resiliently held against the nut by a spring pressed cam plate and then on contacting the post is forced toward the adjustable jaw to crack a nut therebetween. A plunger is mounted for transverse movement in the space between the jaws to dislodge a cracked nut which sticks in the jaws.

n51 3,688,825 Sept. 5, 1972 United States Patent Hall [54] NUTCRACKER Primary ExaminerWillie G. Abercrombie Attorney-Herman, Davidson & Berman ABSTRACT A nutcracker having an adjustable jaw to receive nuts [22] Filed:

of different sizes with the second jaw being cam operated to move towards the first jaw to crack a nut positioned between the jaws. As the jaws are swung .A23n 5/02 146/13, l4, I6

[51] Int. Cl. through an operating arc the cam operated jaw is first [58] Field of e iliently held against the nut by a spring pressed cam plate and then on contacting the post is forced towardtherebetween. A rse movement in the References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS the adjustable jaw to crack a nut plunger is mounted for transve m n d e m. a r C a e m M d m m km a e m n an wk .w .mt 8 mm. m .m W 63 UH 66 44 ll wv o mc mm 61 57 99 11 ll 46 98 300 O1 48 23 70mins, 5 Drawing Figures NUTCRACKER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to base mounted nutcrackers of the type used when cracking large quantities of nuts.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention includes a base mounted fixture having a body pivotally carried therein. A combined adjustable jaw and handle is threaded into the body and a second cam operated jaw is slidably mounted in the body in axial'alignment with the adjustable jaw. A leaf is pivotally mounted in the fixture and is spring urged upwardly into contact with a roller on a cam actuated jaw. Rotation of the body about its pivot within the fixture causes the cam to roll on the leaf resiliently holding the jaws in contact with the nut. The roller then contacts the post to cause the cam operated jaw to be moved toward the adjustable jaw to crack a nut therebetween. A plunger is mounted in the body for transverse movement across the space between the jaws to dislodge a nut when stuck in the jaws after cracking.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a nutcracker in which the nut is resiliently secured between open jaws with one of the jaws being cammed toward the other to crack a nut therebetween, upon a single rotary movement of the jaws from one position to another.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent in the following specification when considered in the light of the attached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the invention with the handle broken away into an exploded position;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view, taken along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view, taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 2 illustrating the device in final position following the cracking of the nut; and

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 showing the nut dislodged by the plunger.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the several figures the reference numeral indicates generally a nutcracker constructed in accordance with the invention.

The nutcracker 10 includes a base plate 11 supported on a pair of resilient pads 12, 13 at opposite ends thereof. An upstanding post 14 is secured to the base plate 11 by any suitable means such as cap screws 15 and a second upstanding generally rectangular post 16 is also secured to the base plate 11 by any suitable means such as cap screws 17. The post 14, 16 extend parallel to each other and are adjacent the opposite ends of the base plate 1 1.

A generally rectangular panel 18 is secured to the sides of the posts 14, 16 extending downwardly from the upper ends thereof and terminating at a point spaced well above the base plate 11. A second generally rectangular panel 19 is secured to the sides of the posts 14, 16 by a plurality of cap screws 20 and has the same height as the panel 18. The panels 18, 19 are arranged in spaced apart parallel relation.

A generally rectangular body 21 is positioned between the panels 18, 19 and is pivotally mounted therein by a pivot bolt 22 which extends completely through the panels 18, 19 and the body 21. A nut 23 secures the pivot bolt 22 in the panels 18, 19.

The body 21 has a generally rectangular recess 24 in the lower face thereof to provide an area in which the nuts are cracked. An elongate shaft 25 is threaded into the body 21 and extends into the recess 24 as can be seen in FIG. 1. The threaded shaft 21 has a semi-spherical socket 26 formed in its inner end to serve as a jaw in gripping nuts for cracking. A knurled handle 27 is formed on the outer end of the shaft 25 to permit the shaft 25 to be rotated axially in the body 21 to adjust the position of the socket 26 within the recess 24 and to be used to rotate the body 21 about the pivot 22 to swing the body 21 through its nutcracking cycle.

The post 16 has a relatively deep knotch 28 opening downwardly from the upper end thereof to receive the outer end portion of the shaft 25 permitting it to swing to its lower most position as illustrated in FIG. 4.

The body 21 at the end thereof opposite the shaft 25 has a smooth bore 29 axially aligned with the threaded bore 30 in which the shaft 25 is adjustably mounted. A generally cylindrical jaw member 31 is positioned for axial sliding movement in the bore 29 and has its inner end formed into a socket 32 which is adapted to cooperate with the socket 26 on the shaft 25 to secure a nut therebetween.

The jaw member 31 and the end thereof opposite the socket 32 bifurcated at 33 to receive a cam roller 34 mounted on a pivot pin 35. A threaded retainer pin 36 extends upwardly through the bottom of the body 21 and its inner end engages in a longitudinal groove 37 in the bottom of the body 21. The threaded retainer pin 36 permits the jaw member 31 to slide axially in the bore 29 to the limit of the slot 37 while simultaneously preventing the jaw member 31 from rotating about its own axis.

A cam plate 38 is positioned between the panels 18, 19 and is mounted on a pivot pin 39 which extends through the panels 18, 19 and is secured therein by a nut 40. The cam plate 38 has a bolt 41 mounted therein and extending downwardly therefrom. A nut 42 secures the bolt 41 to the cam plate 38 closely adjacent the pivot pin 39. A pair of nuts 43, 44 are mounted on the bolt 41 and clamp one end of a tension coil spring 45 therebetween. The opposite end of the coil spring 45 is secured to a pin 46 which extends through and is mounted in the post 14.

A pan 47 is adapted to rest on the base plate 11 between the posts 14, 16 underlying the panels 18, 19 so that both the meat and shells of cracked nuts fall therein.

A plunger shaft 48 is mounted for transverse movement in the body 21 across the recess 24 between the sockets 26, 32 so that a head 49 thereon may dislodge a cracked nut 50 from between the sockets 26, 32. A

knob 51 is secured to the upper end of the plunger shaft 48 and a compression coil spring 52 is engaged about the plunger shaft 48 beneath the knob 51 to normally urge the plunger shaft 48 upwardly as viewed in FIGS. 4 and 5 to a nonoperative position. A flexible pad 53 is positioned in the upper end of the recess 24 to resiliently cushion the nuts 50 being cracked in the nutcracker 1 0.

In the use and operation of the invention a nut 50 such as a pecan is engaged in the socket 32 with'the body 21 swung upwardly to the position shown in FIG. 1 and the shaft 25 is rotated on its axis to bring the socket 26 into engagement with the opposite end of the nut 50. The cam plate 38 resiliently engages the roller 34 to hold the jaw member 31 against the nut 50. The handle 27 is then moved to the position illustrated in FIG. 4. The cam roller 34, near the end of the rotation of body 21 engages the post 14 moving the jaw member 31 axially inwardly of the body 21 toward the shaft 25 and the nut 50 is cracked. The spring 45 pulls against the bolt 41 and normally urges the cam plate 38 upwardly against the cam roller 34 to maintain spring tension against the jaw element 31. In the event that the nut 50 lodges between the socket 26 and the socket 32 and does not release as the cam roller 34 disengages from the cam plate 38 the knob 50 is pressed downwardly against the tension of the spring 52 thus forcing the plunger shaft 48 and the head 49 downwardly pressing the nut 50 out from between the jaw element 31 and the shaft 25 to permit it to fall into the pan 47.

Having thus described the preferred embodiment of the invention it should be understood that numerous structural modifications and adaptations may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A nutcracker including a base mounted fixture, a

body mounted for pivotal movement in said fixture, a jaw element mounted for axial sliding movement in said body, a shaft adjustably mounted in said body for movement axially with respect to said jaw member, means for resiliently urging said jaw member toward said shaft to grip a nut between said jaw member and said shaft, and means for moving said jaw member toward said shaft to crack a nut therebetween upon pivotal movement of said body in said fixture.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the means for resiliently urging said jaw member toward said shaft includes a cam roller on said jawmember and a cam plate resiliently mounted in said fixture for engagement with said cam roller.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein means are provided on said body for dislodging a nut from between said jaw member and said shaft.

4. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said fixture includes a base plate, a pair of posts secured to said base plate and extending upwardly therefrom in spaced parallel relation, and a pair of panels secured to opposite sides of said posts and spaced above said base plate with said body pivotally secured between said panels.

5. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein a handle is secured to the outer end of said shaft for adjusting said shaft in said body and for rotating said body about its pligtA device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said body has a recess formed intermediate the opposite end thereof with said jaw member and said shaft extending through said body into said recess in nutcracking opposed relation.

7. A device as claimed in claim 2 wherein said fixture includes an upright post and the means for moving said jaw member includes the engagement of said cam roller with said post. 

1. A nutcracker including a base mounted fixture, a body mounted for pivotal movement in said fixture, a jaw element mounted for axial sliding movement in said body, a shaft adjustably mounted in said body for movement axially with respect to said jaw member, means for resiliently urging said jaw member toward said shaft to grip a nut between said jaw member and said shaft, and means for moving said jaw member toward said shaft to crack a nut therebetween upon pivotal movement of said body in said fixture.
 2. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the means for resiliently urging said jaw member toward said shaft includes a cam roller on said jaw member and a cam plate resiliently mounted in said fixture for engagement with said cam roller.
 3. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein means are provided on said body for dislodging a nut from between said jaw member and said shaft.
 4. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said fixture includes a base plate, a pair of posts secured to said base plate and extending upwardly therefrom in spaced parallel relation, and a pair of panels secured to opposite sides of said posts and spaced above said base plate with said body pivotally secured between said panels.
 5. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein a handle is secured to the outer end of said shaft for adjusting said shaft in said body and for rotating said body about its pivot.
 6. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said body has a recess formed intermediate the opposite end thereof with said jaw member and said shaft extending through said body into said recess in nutcracking opposed relation.
 7. A device as claimed in claim 2 wherein said fixture includes an upright post and the means for moving said jaw member includes the engagement of said cam roller with said post. 